Gleanings From Philadelphia Lodge Ledger Of 1731.

monthly meetings ; thenceforth I suppose things went on O . K . From the beginning of the Record , in 1731 to its close in 1738 , thirty-two gentlemen were initiated in the Lodge ,

and three joined it by paying £ 2 each ; and if all the debts on the Record in June 1738 were afterwards paid up , the Lodge must have had in 1738 thirty-seven members . As

to why they stopped using the Ledger in 1738 ( more especially as there were then enough of empty pages in the book sufficient to have lasted for years to come ) is more than I can tell .

The next qnestion is , as the items in the Ledger seem to have been copied from a minute book , and whereas the Ledger is marked " Liber B ., " there must have also been a "Liber A . " Now , what became of that book ? Bro . Meyer intimates , first , that he knows not whether the

Lodge had such a book ; and second , that he knows that the Lodge did have sucb a book . Bro . Meyer says :

" It will be noted that this book is ' Liber B . ' We are of opinion that inasmuch as the several clubs of that day ( 1720 ) of which Franklin was a member , more especially

the ' Junts , ' which we believe kept no minutes of their proceedings ; so this first Lodge , and other early Lodges , kept none . "

The above is , however , continued immediately as follows : "And we feel sure that' Liber A . ' will not contain anything save commercial accounts . In fact , we have

creditable knowledge that our surmises are correct , that Liber A . is in existence , and contains nothing but mercantile and business accounts . "

Now , I ask , in the name of common sense , what kind of mercantile business did the Philadelphia Lodge carry on ? Indeed , who ever heard of a Masonic Lodge devoting a whole record book to " mercantile business accounts ? " I

entertain a strong feeling of friendship towards Bro . Meyer , and am always pleased to meet him , but nevertheless I do not like to be mystified even by my best friend . If it was my case , if I knew of the existence of a Massachusetts

Lodge or Grand Lodge Record that would enable me to throw some new new light on our history , or that would serve to dispel an old established error , 1 would not only try to do my best to acquire all the information from it or

about it , but I would consider ifc my Masonic duty to make that information known , without caring whether I pleased or displeased the jurisdictional pride of all the Masons in

Massachusetts . I , therefore , hope aud trust that Bro . Meyer will yefc take second thoughts , by publishing candidly all he knows about that mystified record Liber A . of the

The Report of the Directors of the Crystal Palace District Gas Company for the half-year ending 31 st December lasfc , has been issued , and will be presented to the proprietors at the ordinary general meeting , to be held at the Albion , Aldersgate-street , E . G ., on Friday next . The mild weather

during nearly the whole of the last half-year , the reduction of gas to 2 s 9 d per thousand cubic feet , and the heavy and continued fall in the selling prices of coke and tar , have produced a result on the revenue account not quite so

satisfactory as nsual . Tbe works and plant have been maintained in a thorough state of repair , and the carbonizing and other departments have been worked in a satisfactory manner . A call on the " New Ordinary Seven

Per Cent . Shares " of 1 in 5 on the unpaid shares has been made ; payments on account of the call will be received at the City Bank until the 25 th insfc . Mr . F . L . Linging and Mr . C . L . Wilson , the retiring directors , and Mr . A . T .

Layton , the retiring auditor , all offer themselves for re-election . A dividend is recommended at the following rates : —6 per cent , on the preference stock ; 7 per cent , on the ordinary 7 per cent , stock ; 10 per cent , on the ordinary

10 per cent , stock ; and 7 per cent , on new ordinary 7 per cent , shares ; amounting to £ 12 , 794 18 s , less income-tax £ 426 10 s . The general balance sheet shows that the sum

of £ 7 , 737 9 s lOd is at bankers' and on deposit ; amount invested to £ 56 , 577 16 s 8 d ; stock , £ 15 , 574 19 s Id ; amount due for private rental and rent of meters , and arrears

£ 28 , 724 4 s 9 d ; public rental and arrears , £ 1 , 915 18 s 3 d ; coke and other residuals , £ 645 6 s 5 d ; and sundry accounts , £ 642 10 s 5 d ; total , £ 111 , 718 5 s 5 d .

Philadelphia Sfc . John ' s Lodge of 1731 . BOSTON , U . S ., 18 th February 1887 .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Review should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , Belvidere "Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville , London , N . Freemasons' Calendar and Directory for the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland . Compiled by Bro . Ben . A . Smith , P . M . 523 , P . P . G . St . B .

IN presenting the fifteenth annual issue of thia compendious and useful publication , Bro . Smith shares with the brethren of the Province the regret they all mnst feel that the Deputy G . Master , Bro . Partridge , haa been compelled , by the increasingly numerous calls upon his time , to withdraw from the editorship of the Calendar ,

a work whioh he created , and for fourteen years compiled , sparing no pains to render it as perfect and interesting as possible . It is evident , however , from the little work before ua that the mantle of this able and zealous compiler has fallen upon Bro . Ben . Smith , by whom very few , if indeed any , details of information necessary to the

brethren of the Province have been overlooked . As a frontispiece ia given an excellent portrait of the " Father of the Province , " Bro . William Kelly , F . S . A ., F . R . Hist . Soc , together with a brief outline of his Masonio career and the services he has rendered to the Craft , abridged from " Masonio Portraits , " published

some time ago in the columns of the FREEMASONS CHRONICLE , and subsequently in two volumes . All the information necessary ia given in the Calendar as to the datea of meetings of Lodges , Chapters , & o ., and principal events of the Masonio year , with space left on the opposite pages for entering engagements ; and

amongst the other contents are the names of the Officers of United Grand Lodge , the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland , the Provincial Grand Lodge Committee of General Purposes , and the Charity Committee ; the roll of Craft Lodges , with the dates of their foundation ; the Officers and members of the various Lodges , with the

dates and places of meeting , installation , & o . Similar information is given respecting the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Aroh Masons , the Provincial Grand Chapter , and roll of Royal Arch Chapters , and also of the Mark Lodges in the Province . Interesting Masonio notes are contributed by the Provincial Grand Secretary ,

Bro . the Rev . C . Henton Wood , M . A ., P . M . 1560 , P . P . G . C , and a brief outline ia also appended of the Leicestershire and Rutland Masonio Charity Association . These , and a variety of other matters of use and interest to the brethren of the Province , are bound in

handy form in a cover of blue and gold , and of convenient size for tbe pocket . The compiler concludes his preface by observing that every effort haa been made to render the Calendar as useful as possible , but it is not intended to run in any settled groove j any suggestions , therefore , for improvement will be gladly received .

Masonic Calendar of Mark Lodges , Councils , # " c , meeting a 8 A , Red Lion-square , W . C , with a List of Mark Lodges in and near London . Published by authority of the General Board . HERE we have an addition to the number of those little handbooks thafc bave become essential to Brethren associated with the various

sections into whioh Freemasonry is divided . In the Calendar at the opening of the book are enumerated the various Mark Lodges , and Lodges of Instruction within the metropolitan area , with the dates of meeting , the General Board Mark , the educational Branch of the Mark Benevolent Fund , and election of annuitants ; Grand Stewards

Mark , Grand Lodge of M . M . M ., with all other events of importance relating to the Degree . Then follow the names of the present Officers of Grand Mark Lodge ; the meetings of the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction for Mark Masons ; the Grand Council of the Allied Masonry Degrees ; Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters ; Craft

Lodges and Chapters meeting at Red Lion-square ; with the various Mark Lodges in and near London , the dates of their warrants of confirmation , and a variety of other useful information . It must be gratifying to all who are interested in Mark Masonry to have noticed the rapid progress made in this branch of the science of recent years

and to know that every facility is given for frequent intercourse amongst members of tbe several Lodges . The production of this Calendar will be a material assistance in that respect , showing at a glance the dates and places of meetings , festivals , and special events , thus forming a useful , and in fact an essential , book of reference

A brief , but gratifying statement is appended of the Mark Benevolent Fund , the Nineteenth Festival of which will be held in Jnly next , under the presidency of the Right Hon . Earl Amherst , M . W . Past Grand Master of M . M . M . The Fund is divided into the Benevolent , Educational , and Annuity branches , and all donations and

subscriptions are apportioned equally between these three objects . Since the formation of the Fund in 1869 the sum of £ 1 , 730 has been distributed in grants of relief . Twenty-six children have reaped the advantages of the Educational Branch , at a total cost of £ 628 ; while at the last meeting of Grand Lodge it was unanimously agreed to give the annual

sum of £ 5 to each pupil for clothing , which will necessitate this year a further expenditure of £ 100 . The income of the Annuity Fund at present amounts to £ 54 12 s 4 d per annum , and the Board will gladly consider the claims of necessitous Brethren or Widows of Brethren ,

being empowered to grant the sum of £ 20 to £ 16 per annum respectively to accepted candidates after election . This little work is admirably compiled , and affords all the necessary information to members of the Mark Degree resident within its extensive scope .

The Cook and Housekeeper ; a Journal for Every Home . WITH the opening of this month a new journal , nnder the above comprehensive title , made its appearance , and , judging from the first issue , we should say it should claim attention in the quarter for which it is designed , " every home . " In these days , when cookery is made